
You are warmly invited to visit Thien Vien Nhap Luu – Stream Entering Meditation Centre – in Beaufort Victoria, to attend the first Spring Opening Retreat. The retreat will be held in September, from the 19th to the 25th, and is with the monks and nuns of Plum Village from Nhap Luu Monastery, Deer Park Monastery, Asian Institute of Applied Buddhism, and Plum Village Thailand. The venue is the nearby Cave Hill Creek Resort, 20 km away from Nhap Luu. There will be a day of Mindfulness at Nhap Luu itself, included in the programme, on Sept. 21.
For the past years, there have been weekend retreats held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and (more recently) Adelaide every April and Sept/October. The Annual Spring Opening at Nhap Luu replaces the weekend retreats of September/October, so all people from Australia will be able to come to the home centre of Plum Village Australia to practice, to enjoy the presence of loved ones and friends, and to build Sangha.
Plum Village’s practice is designed to help us weave mindfulness into all of our daily activities. In this way we can practice meditation throughout the day while eating, walking, working, sitting in meditation, or even enjoying a cup of tea together. All participants are invited to help in communal activities such as arranging the meditation halls, preparing meals, cleaning bathrooms, emptying garbage, watering plants, washing pots, cleaning the kitchen and other tasks, as part of the daily practice of mindfulness. Since the teachings emphasize the benefit of practicing with the Sangha in order to enjoy its collective energy, it is important for all participants to fully participate in all scheduled activities. Participants are requested to refrain from smoking, drinking and sexual practice during their stay as a concrete expression of their practice of mindfulness. There will, as well,be an opportunity to receive the 5 Mindfulness Trainings – a template for happiness and meaning in life and the foundation of our being together as a Sangha.
Lectures will be in mainly in English and sometimes in Vietnamese. Simultaneous translations are provided. Dharma discussion groups in one’s native language will also be arranged.
Please see the tentative schedule for the retreat below.
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Sept. 19 – Friday
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Sept. 20 –
Saturday
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Sept. 21
Sunday
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Sept. 22
Monday
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Sept. 23
Tuesday
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Sept. 24
Wed.
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Sept. 25
Thursday
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5:15
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Wake-Up
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Wake-Up
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Wake-Up
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Wake-Up
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Wake-Up
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6:00
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Sitting & Chanting
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Sitting & Chanting
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Lazy Morning
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Sitting & Chanting
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Sitting & Chanting
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5MT
Transmission
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7:00
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10 Mindful Movement
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Breakfast
Go to Nhap Luu
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10 Mindful Movement
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10 Mindful Movement
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7:30
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Breakfast
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DOM at Nhap Luu
8:30 Walking Meditation
10:00 Dharma talk
12:30 Lunch
13:45 Total Relaxation
Dharma Discussion
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Breakfast
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Breakfast
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Breakfast
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8:00 Breakfast
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9:00
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Dharma talk
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Lazy Morning
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Dharma talk
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Q & A
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9:30 Dharma talk
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11:30
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Walking Meditation
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Walking Meditation
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Walking Meditation
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12:30
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Lunch
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Lunch
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Lunch
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Lunch
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Lunch
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13:45 – 14:30
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Total Relaxation
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Lazy afternoon
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Total Relaxation
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Total Relaxation
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Farewell
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15:00
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Dharma Discussion
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Dharma Discussion
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Dharma Discussion |
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16:45
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Sport / Stick Exercise
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Back to Cave Hill Creek
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Sport / Stick Exercise
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Sport / Stick Exercise
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18:00
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Dinner
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Dinner
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Dinner
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Dinner
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Dinner
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19:30
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Orientation
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Sitting Meditation
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Lazy night
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5 MT Presentation
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Beginning Anew Presentation
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Be-in – Performance
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21:30
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Bed time – Light Out
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Noble Silence Practice until after breakfast
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Children’s and teens’ programs
A family program is available for young people six years and older, with children’s program for 6–12 years old and teens’ program for 13–16 years old. A group of staff will help coordinate activities together with the parents and other interested adults. Children under 6 are completely under the responsibility of their parents. In past retreats , many such parents were able to coordinate childcare among themselves in order to participate in the adults’ activities.
Regarding clothing at Plum Village, it is fine to wear casual clothes outside the meditation hall. But inside the meditation hall, please wear sleeved shirts, long pants or calf-length skirts.
We will have a Lazy Day, when there are no scheduled activities and the bells will only be invited to announce meal times. Lazy Day is an opportunity to let the day unfold in a natural way while still maintaining mindfulness. We can enjoy being with friends, taking a walk, reading a book, or just relaxing and enjoying the day in mindfulness within the retreat boundaries. The meditation hall is open for those who enjoy sitting meditation.
We hope you will come and share in the joyous celebration of life among blossoming sunflowers and fellow practitioners. We are looking forward to seeing you and to making steps of peace and joy with you at Nhap Luu this spring!

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